Emergency Rations Aren't as Gross as You Thought: Taste Test

In preparing for disasters, you may want to include emergency rations as part of your survival kit. They last up to five years and are packed with calories. But we were curious to know exactly what we would subsist off of if all other food sources ran out. So PM tested three 2400-calorie rations on the market to find the most palatable one.

How We Tested

We performed a blind taste test, asking 20 staff members to try each bar, rate its taste and texture on a scale of 1-5, and choose their favorite. Here are the results:

While the Mainstay bar received the highest ratings on average, its strong lemon flavor was polarizing-some staffers loved it, some hated it. The Datrex bar consistently received neutral ratings, even reminding one editor of dried biscotti. The ER Bar, while the favorite of one staffer, received low marks and was described as "soapy." For everything else you need to know to prepare for a disaster, see PM's August cover story, "Facing Down Disaster."